On Wednesday morning, June 28, 2017, a married couple received injuries after being “butted” by a bison at Mud Volcano, just north of Lake Village in Yellowstone National Park.

The Heber City, Utah, couple was taking photographs on a boardwalk at Mud Volcano, when a bison approached them. The bison butted The wife, age 72, who then fell into her husband, age 74, and both individuals fell to the ground.

Park rangers responded immediately and evacuated the couple from the trail, a quarter mile, to the road. The couple was transported to the Lake Clinic. The husband had minor injuries, and the wife was transported by Life Flight to Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was in stable condition. Citations were not issued to either individual.

When an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay 25 yards away from all large animals – bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.

This is the first confirmed incident of a bison injuring visitors in 2017. In 2015, five people were injured after approaching bison.